TransData's Smart Meter Patent Triumphs Again Over General Electric's Patent Challenge

DALLAS, March 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- TransData, Inc., received notice that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("Patent Office") concluded an ex parte reexamination of TransData's U.S. Patent No. 6,181,294 (the '294 Patent) and will issue a Reexamination Certificate that reaffirms validity of all pending claims. This decision by the Patent Office marks another victory by TransData over the serial patent reexaminations being filed against the company's Smart Meter Patents by General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). TransData's '294 patent has now withstood several patent reexaminations filed by General Electric and another smart meter manufacturer.

TransData's development of the industry's first digital electric meter equipped with an internal "under-glass" wireless communication module and antenna resulted in the company being awarded several U.S. patents, including the '294 Patent. TransData's invention addressed a long-felt need that enabled users to wirelessly access the wealth of data available from within a digital electric meter, including meter billing information, interval usage data, voltage levels, power outage and power quality information.

The '294 Patent is the subject matter of patent infringement lawsuits TransData filed against a group of electric utilities involving millions of digital electric meters equipped with internal wireless communications that are commonly referred to as "smart meters." The case is currently pending before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma and includes as defendants Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co.; Oncor Electric Delivery (an Energy Future Holdings Corp. company); CenterPoint Energy; San Diego Gas and Electric Co.; Texas-New Mexico Power Company; Denton County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (d/b/a CoServ Electric); Denton Municipal Utilities; and Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc.

"We appreciate the hard work and effort of the multitude of patent examiners who have reviewed and confirmed the validity of our patents," said Joan Gleibs, TransData, Inc. CEO.  "We believe our patents are even stronger now that they have been reviewed and confirmed by numerous Patent Office experts with knowledge of the relevant technology and patent law."

TransData has an established licensing program for its Smart Meter Patents, which includes investor-owned utilities and companies active in the manufacture of digital electric meters, wireless smart-meter communication modules and wireless streetlight control systems.

Attorneys Robert Sterne, Don Banowit and Graham Phero from Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox, and attorneys David Hitt and Charles Gaines from Hitt Gaines P.C. represented TransData in this matter.

About TransData

In business for 46 years, TransData is the only certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) specializing in the design and manufacture of solid-state electric meters and related products that enable its global client base to more efficiently measure, monitor and control the flow of power and energy variables on the smart grid. Founded in 1969, TransData is a privately-held corporation with headquarters in suburban Dallas, serving over 2,000 customers in more than 25 countries worldwide, including most of the top 50 largest U.S. electric utilities. More information on TransData can be found at www.transdatainc.com. TransData is a registered trademark of TransData Inc.

For additional information, please contact Dave Moore at 800-559-4534 or [email protected].

SOURCE TransData, Inc.

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